Debts and Debtors: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #3) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) by Sarah Biglow Page B
Authors: Sarah Biglow
Ads: Link
thought I would be okay, having you girls with me. I’m so sorry.”
Kalina set her glass down on the table and wrapped her mother in a hug. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about, Mom. You have a good cry.”
They sat together for a few minutes in silence, the only sound the occasional murmurs from the kitchen and the hammering of the rain outside. Kalina briefly wondered where her nephew had disappeared to but her curiosity died when a loud knock echoed from the front of the house. She didn’t move, unsure whether it was a knock on the front door or if it was just the weather raging. When the sound came again—this time a more distinct knocking—she extricated herself from her mother’s embrace and went to answer the door. A woman—maybe in her early forties—stood on the front porch, purse clutched to her chest. Her hair was matted to her scalp from the rain.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Jillian.”
Kalina turned toward the kitchen and called, “Jillian, there’s someone here for you.”
Her sister appeared in view and immediately raced forward. “Come in, come in.”
Kalina stepped out of the way, letting Jillian dote on their surprise guest. She waited to be introduced but in all of her fussing Jillian seemed to have forgotten the rest of the family. Even AJ had appeared—from his room it turned out—to survey the commotion.
“You want to introduce us, Jill?” Kalina asked.
Jillian blushed. “Sorry. This is Savannah Hennessey. We went to college together.”
Savannah stood shivering and dripping on the welcome mat. “It’s actually Chase now. Thomas and I got married a couple years ago.” The mention of her marriage brought tears to Savannah’s eyes and her lower lip quivered. “I think something awful has happened to my husband.”
CHAPTER TWO
Awkward silence filled the front hall as everyone present processed Savannah’s declaration. Kalina bit the inside of her lip at the realization that she’d been secretly itching for a new mystery to solve. She caught AJ’s eye and he looked as eager as she felt. They were, of course, premature in their excitement. There was every possibility that there was no mystery in need of a solution.
“Why don’t we get you out of those wet clothes and you can tell us what’s going on?” she said, taking charge of the situation. She turned to Jillian. “I’m sure you’ve got something she can borrow.”
“Of course. You’re right.”
Jillian helped Savannah out of her coat and they disappeared upstairs to the master bedroom in search of dry clothes. Kalina shut the door and looked pointedly at her nephew. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
He held up his hands in a defensive posture. “I didn’t say anything.”
Daniel poked his head out of the kitchen. “I take it we’ll be setting another place for dinner?”
“No. Well, just use Chris’s place setting. He can’t make it.”
Her brother-in-law nodded and ducked back into the kitchen to tend to the meal. Kalina ushered AJ into the living room where her mother still sat on the couch. She looked a little perkier at least. They waited in silence for Jillian and her friend to come back downstairs. After what seemed like an hour but was likely only fifteen minutes, they reappeared. Savannah had blow-dried her hair and wore a sweater and jeans. They fit remarkably well. She’d clearly dried her eyes, too. Jillian carried a box of tissues as a precaution.
“So, what makes you think something’s happened to your husband?” Kalina asked.
“I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning. He always comes home, even if he’s late. I started to get worried when he didn’t come home at all. If he’s going to be late at the office he always calls me. He knows I worry.”
“Did you go to the police?”
Savannah shook her head. “No. I thought I had to wait forty-eight hours before I could report him missing.”
“Actually, you can report after
Kalina set her glass down on the table and wrapped her mother in a hug. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about, Mom. You have a good cry.”
They sat together for a few minutes in silence, the only sound the occasional murmurs from the kitchen and the hammering of the rain outside. Kalina briefly wondered where her nephew had disappeared to but her curiosity died when a loud knock echoed from the front of the house. She didn’t move, unsure whether it was a knock on the front door or if it was just the weather raging. When the sound came again—this time a more distinct knocking—she extricated herself from her mother’s embrace and went to answer the door. A woman—maybe in her early forties—stood on the front porch, purse clutched to her chest. Her hair was matted to her scalp from the rain.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Jillian.”
Kalina turned toward the kitchen and called, “Jillian, there’s someone here for you.”
Her sister appeared in view and immediately raced forward. “Come in, come in.”
Kalina stepped out of the way, letting Jillian dote on their surprise guest. She waited to be introduced but in all of her fussing Jillian seemed to have forgotten the rest of the family. Even AJ had appeared—from his room it turned out—to survey the commotion.
“You want to introduce us, Jill?” Kalina asked.
Jillian blushed. “Sorry. This is Savannah Hennessey. We went to college together.”
Savannah stood shivering and dripping on the welcome mat. “It’s actually Chase now. Thomas and I got married a couple years ago.” The mention of her marriage brought tears to Savannah’s eyes and her lower lip quivered. “I think something awful has happened to my husband.”
CHAPTER TWO
Awkward silence filled the front hall as everyone present processed Savannah’s declaration. Kalina bit the inside of her lip at the realization that she’d been secretly itching for a new mystery to solve. She caught AJ’s eye and he looked as eager as she felt. They were, of course, premature in their excitement. There was every possibility that there was no mystery in need of a solution.
“Why don’t we get you out of those wet clothes and you can tell us what’s going on?” she said, taking charge of the situation. She turned to Jillian. “I’m sure you’ve got something she can borrow.”
“Of course. You’re right.”
Jillian helped Savannah out of her coat and they disappeared upstairs to the master bedroom in search of dry clothes. Kalina shut the door and looked pointedly at her nephew. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
He held up his hands in a defensive posture. “I didn’t say anything.”
Daniel poked his head out of the kitchen. “I take it we’ll be setting another place for dinner?”
“No. Well, just use Chris’s place setting. He can’t make it.”
Her brother-in-law nodded and ducked back into the kitchen to tend to the meal. Kalina ushered AJ into the living room where her mother still sat on the couch. She looked a little perkier at least. They waited in silence for Jillian and her friend to come back downstairs. After what seemed like an hour but was likely only fifteen minutes, they reappeared. Savannah had blow-dried her hair and wore a sweater and jeans. They fit remarkably well. She’d clearly dried her eyes, too. Jillian carried a box of tissues as a precaution.
“So, what makes you think something’s happened to your husband?” Kalina asked.
“I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning. He always comes home, even if he’s late. I started to get worried when he didn’t come home at all. If he’s going to be late at the office he always calls me. He knows I worry.”
“Did you go to the police?”
Savannah shook her head. “No. I thought I had to wait forty-eight hours before I could report him missing.”
“Actually, you can report after
Similar Books
